Decent example of a style I particularly enjoy. Pithy citrus and tropical fruits slug it out with spicy rye, giving an all-out assault on the senses. Big bitter, marginally less big sweet and sour, big fun. Subtle as a brick, but I’m OK with that. The 2015 BJCP guidelines suggest I shouldn’t put it under “American IPA”, but instead “Rye IPA” – yet RateBeer doesn’t (yet) acknowledge that as a style. Heck with it, I’m going with it as a style. And a darned fun one, at that. (And now do I have to go back through my records and retroactively apply that style? Gah! This makes my OCD itch!) (14/20)

Yeah, I’m just gonna go ahead and think about this as an “END of Winter IPA” if it’s all the same to you – because I’m about ready to open a fucking vein if it means not having to live through another goddamned Canadian winter. (Remember, kids, it’s up the highway, not across the street!) Beautiful looking beer, if extremely dark for any IPA (other than a Black/CDA), and having less than perfect definition in the lacing. And it’s not really all that much like an IPA, unless there’s a “Brown IPA” style that’s slipped under my personal radar. I really like the whole “scan the code/container and listen to music” idea, but I have to say, Collective Arts did it better with their Blippar integration. I mean, think about it: you put a QR code on the bottle, so folks are gonna scan it with their iPhones, right? So, what do you think you should link it to? Here’s a hint: a ZIP file probably isn’t the best solution. Any guesses what it links to? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? (14/20)

Finishing up the Voodoo Ranger siblings with the biggest one, and the family resemblance continues. It’s not radically different than the APA or IPA, but it’s obviously bigger, thicker, and stronger. (I don’t see any jokes there at all. Nope. not a single one.) I think I prefer this one, marginally, over the others (nope, still no jokes here) but it’s by a pretty slim margin. I’m just gonna rate all three equally, because they really are like three versions of pretty much the same beer. (15/20)

Not as pretty as the 8 Hop Pale Ale, nor are the hop aromas as full-spectrum, and the higher ABV is definitely reflected in the heavier body and malt presence. However, there are clearer citrus notes and, especially in the finish, a pleasant tropical fruit presence. Still not exactly bright, perhaps, but verging on juicy for sure. (15/20)

Nice. I always find using multiple hop varieties to be a bit of a double-edged sword: on the one hand, having multiple flavour profiles mean you get decent complexity and fullness of flavour, without feeling sharp – but on the other hand, you tend to lose brightness and get a slightly muddled effect. That’s what seems to be happening here. There’s nothing wrong with it, as such, but it’s not bright. Definitely a good beer, though, and easy-drinking. (15/20)

A little more interesting than the typical kettle sour. They say “plums” but if anything it’s more like Damsons to me – or maybe pickle juice. Huge tart overwhelms almost everything else, though there is a hint of roasted malt and coffee in the finish. Surprisingly light body given the forbidding appearance, and an intensely dry and tart finish make it a bit more drinkable than a thicker body and greater sweetness might. (13/20)

Very much dominated by fruit, to the point where I really can’t resolve much else. That’s not to say it’s unpleasant – far from it – but it’s not very beer-like. Definitely a good one for a hot day on a sunny patio. (13/20)

I must admit to a little trepidation in trying this one, having just experienced a near sink pour on their Session IPA – which, I think most folks would agree is an easier style to get right than a Black IPA / CDA. But this is actually all right. Unlike the S/IPA, this isn’t marred by doughy or adjunct notes, and the hop bitterness works well with the dry, almost astringent roasted malts. (14/20)

Disappointing. Structurally a fairly pretty beer, and the taste isn’t terrible- but the aroma is quite off-putting. Not sink pour territory, but not far off. The label notes say “Paradoxically, there are no Chinook hops in this beauty.” Yeah, well, not very paradoxically, some Chinook hops – or, indeed, any hops – might’ve helped. (11/20)